Favorite "HARD USE" Blade Steel

[JD Spydo]

Well I know that the title might be a bit of a "curve ball" for some of you because there are some of you who use the same blade steel for virtually every type of cutting job. Also some people think that these newer/better supersteels might automatically be better for really hard use but I don't necessarily believe that's the case in every application. But I think it's fair to say that most of us here at Spyderville who have gotten spoiled rotten on many different premium blade steels on plain edged and Spyderedged. We certainly have those advantages over many other well known knife companies in my humble opinion.

I've got two blade steels that I often refer to as my go-to, "Hard Use" blade steels. Actually there are more than two blade steels on my wide range of Spyderco "User Knives" that I work with on a variety of cutting jobs. But the two I find myself going to the most lately are VG-10 and H-1. Now I pretty much just use H-1 in Spyderedge but I use VG-10 in both edge types.

Over the past 12 to 15 years VG-10 has been my personal "go-to", high performance hard user steel in both SE & PE. VG-10 has the distinction of being a great performer in SE & PE both in a wide range of jobs>> it's also not a difficult steel to re-sharpen that gives it good advantages working in the field. I believe we are in probably the greatest era for what I like to refer to as the "SuperSteels". However most of the newer SuperSteels get the majority of their accolades and bragging rights in plain edged uses. For most Hard Use steels I tend to like a steel that you can work with in SE & PE both. Please also tell us the advantages you find in Serrated edge use as well as Plain Edged uses.

VG-10 has probably been my long time ultimate favorite hard use steel in many of my Spyderco models over the years in both Spyderedge blades in plain edged blades. But I must admit that I really like the old reliable 440V for Spyderedges especially for brutal uses>> but it is a monster to re-sharpen :eek: . 440V is not half bad in PE but in SE that old 440V is a real "bulldog" of a performer.

OK guys & girls let's all talk about what your favorite hard uses blade steels are? And tell us which steel you like best in plain edge and which steel you think is best in serrated and/or Spyderedges and "why"??. OK let's talk Hard Use blade steels.

[Pelagic]

3V... Holds an edge for a long time and can handle anything. No worries about "is this task too much to ask of this blade?" just use it and go. It does NOT have poor edge retention.

4V is tied with 3v. Much better steel for performance, but for really hard use or in environments where mistakes are unavoidable, 3v is preferred.

I have not tried H1.

[ZrowsN1s]

H1, 154CM :D , S30V

[lonerider1013]

I would say s35vn i have two natives in it one half serrated. Both hold an edge excellent but I've also nicked both edges cutting things that had unexpected metal in them. The edges cleaned up easy even tho i suck at sharpening.
But vg10 is good too.
I have often wondered if for hard use ease if sharpening is more important than edge retention as in "hard use" its a given you will either dull it or damage it, or at least a good possibility, in which case something akin to aus-8 might actually be better!
lonerider

[MacLaren]

3V... Holds an edge for a long time and can handle anything. No worries about "is this task too much to ask of this blade?" just use it and go. It does NOT have poor edge retention.

4V is tied with 3v. Much better steel for performance, but for really hard use or in environments where mistakes are unavoidable, 3v is preferred.

I have not tried H1.

I can't wait to get the Province.

[Evil D]

I like a good 1095 quite a bit. H1 is pretty awesome but has limits (somewhere on here are pics of a Rock Salt edge rippling from chopping a coconut). M4, 3V, Cruwear are all winners.

[tonijedi]

PE H1, VG-10, ESEE 1095 are good hard use steels. I haven't tried the hi tech tool steels but those are definitely good for hard use if corrosion isn't an issue.

[Ankerson]

Depends on what one calls hard use.

And if they are talking about folders or fixed blades.

For folders S30V or S35VN will handle just about anything that I have seen over the decades. That's stuff that folders should really be used for in the 1st place.

For fixed blades?

INFI, SR101 and CPM 4V.

Put INFI and SR101 though **** and back (Extreme abuse on purpose) and more than a few times and have never seen them fail. I tried to hurt 4V and couldn't do it even at high hardness and very thin behind the edge.

[MacLaren]

Depends on what one calls hard use.

And if they are talking about folders or fixed blades.

For folders S30V or S35VN will handle just about anything that I have seen over the decades. That's stuff that folders should really be used for in the 1st place.

For fixed blades?

INFI, SR101 and CPM 4V.

Put INFI and SR101 though **** and back (Extreme abuse on purpose) and more than a few times and have never seen them fail. I tried to hurt 4V and couldn't do it even at high hardness and very thin behind the edge.

If anyone would know, it's this man right here ^^^^^^^^

[Ankerson]

Depends on what one calls hard use.

And if they are talking about folders or fixed blades.

For folders S30V or S35VN will handle just about anything that I have seen over the decades. That's stuff that folders should really be used for in the 1st place.

For fixed blades?

INFI, SR101 and CPM 4V.

Put INFI and SR101 though **** and back (Extreme abuse on purpose) and more than a few times and have never seen them fail. I tried to hurt 4V and couldn't do it even at high hardness and very thin behind the edge.

If anyone would know, it's this man right here ^^^^^^^^

The only reason the Province isn't in INFI is because it's not available to Spyderco or anyone else outside BUSSE.

And the knives would have been a lot more expensive also, a lot more.

And it was my 1st thought. :D :eek:

I chose 4V because it holds an edge VERY well and it's bullet proof, perfect for the Province.

[vivi]

H1 and S7

[MacLaren]

Depends on what one calls hard use.

And if they are talking about folders or fixed blades.

For folders S30V or S35VN will handle just about anything that I have seen over the decades. That's stuff that folders should really be used for in the 1st place.

For fixed blades?

INFI, SR101 and CPM 4V.

Put INFI and SR101 though **** and back (Extreme abuse on purpose) and more than a few times and have never seen them fail. I tried to hurt 4V and couldn't do it even at high hardness and very thin behind the edge.

If anyone would know, it's this man right here ^^^^^^^^

The only reason the Province isn't in INFI is because it's not available to Spyderco or anyone else outside BUSSE.

And the knives would have been a lot more expensive also, a lot more.

And it was my 1st thought. :D :eek:

I chose 4V because it holds an edge VERY well and it's bullet proof, perfect for the Province.

Your the biggest reason I'm getting the Province.
You know your steel Jim

[Ankerson]

Depends on what one calls hard use.

And if they are talking about folders or fixed blades.

For folders S30V or S35VN will handle just about anything that I have seen over the decades. That's stuff that folders should really be used for in the 1st place.

For fixed blades?

INFI, SR101 and CPM 4V.

Put INFI and SR101 though **** and back (Extreme abuse on purpose) and more than a few times and have never seen them fail. I tried to hurt 4V and couldn't do it even at high hardness and very thin behind the edge.

If anyone would know, it's this man right here ^^^^^^^^

The only reason the Province isn't in INFI is because it's not available to Spyderco or anyone else outside BUSSE.

And the knives would have been a lot more expensive also, a lot more.

And it was my 1st thought. :D :eek:

I chose 4V because it holds an edge VERY well and it's bullet proof, perfect for the Province.

Your the biggest reason I'm getting the Province.
You know your steel Jim

Shouldn't be too much longer, light at the end of the tunnel as they say. :spyder:

[SpyderEdgeForever]

H1, 440C, VG10, and the CrMoV used in the economy Spyderco Byrds and others.

[The Meat man]

Hmm...based solely on my experience, I'd go with K390, CPM REX 45, CPM M4. I've pushed these steels pretty hard and they hold up very well.

[Wartstein]

Don't have real "hard use" experience with too many steels, but another vote for VG10. My sabre grind Endura in that steel is probably more "hard use" than I'll ever need...

/ ESEEs 1095 has been mentioned. Sure it is "hard use" (I have a Laser Strike) but really dulls too fast imho.

[Mattysc42]

Lc200n and m4, 3v, 4v, or cruwear.

[ferider]

For my toughest Spydercos (Chinook and Tuff) there is no choice. But 440V and and 3V are a great fit of course.

For Military, PM2 and Manix 2, where I have the choice, it's CPM CruWear.

[TkoK83Spy]

Another vote for M4 here. I like that it's tough, holds it's edge pretty well and is fairly easy enough to get a super sharp edge back after use. DLC or Satin is fine for me, I've got both.

[spyderg]

Cruwear for sure! I’ve used my CW Manix2 for a lot of harder use. But I’ll mention the knives I’ve probably been the hardest on are my GEC #15 in 1095 and my lrg Insingo Sebenza, s35vn and both have held up amazing. Only minor damage, nothing a good sharpening couldn’t take care of doing things like cutting metal downspouts and thick recycled tire rubber mats with bits of metal in them.